The newest generation of the 10″ eCAFE netbooks from Hercules are very thin and light, but they aren’t light on features.  Both the Slim HD and the EX HD can playback 720p HD video, and both allow you to surf, check email, shop, and more.  They have 10″ screens, 3 USB ports, an Ethernet port, headphone and microphone connectors, and a card reader. The Slim HD is the thinnest and lightest netbook in its category – 1.9 pounds and 0.8″ thick!  The EX HD has an HDMI port and multimedia touch controls so you can output video to a TV.  The EX HD is only 2.4 pounds and 1.1″ thick, and its battery delivers 13 hours of power in real-life situations.  The Hercules eCAFE netbooks will be released later this month.  List price for the Slim HD is $229; the EX HD is $269.

Read the full press release after the jump.

BOOST YOUR CONNECTION >>           Hercules Sets a New Standard with its Latest Generation of eCAFÉ™ Netbooks           Hercules brings a new spirit of mobility and connection to the market with slim, light designs and longer battery life options New York, NY – (March 30th, 2011) – Hercules, a specialist in IT devices including multimedia speaker sets, webcams, DJing solutions and consumer-friendly WiFi products, demonstrates its creative talents with smarter designed netbooks that will boost your connected experience. This spring, Hercules will release two new 10-inch eCAFÉ™ models that are all about mobility. Hercules is pleased to announced the eCAFÉ™ Slim HD: the slimmest and lightest model in its category; and the eCAFÉ™ EX HD: which boasts the best battery life on the market.  Today, new mobile devices are part of everyday life and users have come to appreciate the advantages they offer: smartphones for their small size and immediacy, pocket multimedia players for their entertainment value, and netbooks for their comfort of use. With its two new eCAFÉ models, Hercules has incorporated all of these features, and even taken things a step further… More than just a standard netbook, eCAFÉ™ is proud to be different >> The Slim HD model offers a 10-inch screen and all the essential connectors (3 USB ports, an Ethernet port, headphone and microphone connectors and a card reader), but weighs in at just 1.9 lbs. Plus, it is extremely slim – only .8” thick.                   The EX HD model features 13 hours of battery life in real use conditions* and makes it simple for users to watch videos on their television thanks to the HDMI port and multimedia touch controls. It is also incredibly compact: at 1.1” thick and 2.4 lbs., it is one of the slimmest models on the market.  The eCAFÉ™ Slim HD and EX HD are ultra-mobile entertainment devices that smoothly play 720p HD videos, while allowing users to enjoy all of their favorite Internet activities as well email, web surfing, social networks, online shopping, and more.                 Designed for everyday use >> Both new eCAFÉ™ models offer instant readiness, eCAFÉ™ wakes up from standby mode in just 4 seconds, giving more flexibility of use – even on short trips or breaks.  The eCAFÉ™ is highly intuitive: applications are grouped by theme (Internet, multimedia, games, office software etc.).                   It comes bundled with essential applications such as a full office suite (compatible with Microsoft® Office), an audio player and music management, a video player compatible with most formats (avi, divx, mpeg2, xvid, h264, mkv, mov, and more), and even an instant messaging system (compatible with Windows® Live, Yahoo®, AIM®, Google® Talk, etc.).           Managing social networking accounts, including Facebook®, Twitter® and Flickr® (among others) is now easier than ever, thanks to an application which groups them all together so that you don’t miss any of the latest news.  The exclusive eCAFÉ™ Sync application lets you connect your eCAFÉ™ to your main computer (Windows®, Linux or Mac OS X) via the included mini-USB cable, allowing you to transfer files quickly and easily when needed.                   A strong identity: that’s eCAFÉ™ >> Hercules has broken with tradition and introduced its own design statement. The screen folds into the body, providing even greater protection for your netbook. The compact, super-slender design makes it easy to slip into bags of all shapes and sizes. The LEDs and backlit multimedia touch controls are located on the edges of the device, as are all ports and connectors, making them easily accessible. The chiclet keyboard with flat, separated keys and 10-inch, high-brightness LED screen make the eCAFÉ™ comfortable to use, even for long periods of time.  The eCAFÉ’s™ identity is also reflected in terms of the technology it employs: its optimized and low power consumption processor allows it to combine energy management with efficient everyday use. It doesn’t heat up and because it has no fan, it is especially quiet. Flash storage makes it perfectly suited to mobile use, thanks to fast and efficient data access and greater shock resistance.                   The eCAFÉ™ Slim HD and eCAFÉ™ EX HD will be available starting April 2011, at suggested retail prices of $229 and $269. Boost your connection >>  Discover the entire Hercules eCAFÉ™ range at www.ecafe.hercules.com                 Technical specifications >> ARM Cortex-A8 processor / Hercules eCAFÉ™ Netbook Edition Operating System (Linux) / RAM: 512MB DDR2 / Storage capacity: 8GB Flash iNand (for eCAFÉ™ Slim HD) or 16GB (8GB Flash iNand + 8GB SDHC memory extension card included – for eCAFÉ™ EX HD) – extendible up to 72GB ), + additional 50GB available online** / 10.1’’ (25.7cm) backlit LED screen (1024 x 600) / WiFi 802.11b-g-n / Ethernet RJ-45 port / 3 USB 2.0 ports and 1 mini-USB port / Webcam with built-in microphone / External card reader (SD, MMC, SDHC) and internal card reader / Weight starting at 880g / Battery life: up to 13 hours of use* / Mini-USB cable included / Dimensions starting at 300mm x 171mm x 21mm / Colors and models may vary from one country to another.  * Battery life achieved in a real-life test situation, in which the following were used simultaneously or in succession: word processing (1 hour), Internet surfing via WiFi (2 hours), games (1 hour), audio playback (3 hours), standard-quality video playback (1.5 hours) and HD-quality video playback (3 hours), video display via HDMI port (1.5 hours). ** Please see terms and conditions on our website. About Guillemot Corporation: Guillemot Corporation is a designer and manufacturer of interactive entertainment hardware and accessories. The Group offers a diverse range of products under its Hercules and Thrustmaster brand names. Active in this market since 1984, the Guillemot Corporation Group is currently represented in 11 countries, including France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Belgium, Holland, Hong-Kong, Romania and Italy, and distributes its products in over 30 countries worldwide. The group’s mission is to design high-performance and user-friendly products to improve the satisfaction of users of interactive digital entertainment solutions.  www.guillemot.com

Filed in categories: Laptops and Gear, News

Tagged: Netbook

Hercules Introduces Their Latest Generation of eCAFÉ™ Netbooks originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 6, 2011 at 1:30 pm.

Designed by a chiropractor, the LapMate is a unique laptop desk that has a self-inflating mechanism. Just twist the valve on the side and it inflates to provide a soft platform to place your computer on your lap. When you’re finished, you just sit on the LapMate to deflate it (queue the passing gas noise). The LapMate is available in 4 colors and two sizes. One for full size laptops and one for netbooks. The price is $29.95 for either size.

Filed in categories: Laptops and Gear, News

Tagged: Laptop, Netbook, Spotlight Gadgets

Whoopie Cushion or Laptop Desk? originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 15, 2010 at 1:54 pm.

Cakewalk’s V-Studio 20 is an all-in-one recording device for guitarists and singer-songwriters who want a simple way to make music with incredible tones. It’s one of the first music production products for Netbooks, the V-Studio 20 offers a user interface optimized for the Netbook screen (1024 x 600 display) and runs seamlessly with lower CPU usage. It features a Stereo USB Audio Interface (Mac/Win), onboard BOSS-powered COSM DSP effects for Guitar & Vocals (Mac/Win), VS-20 Effects Editor (Mac/Win) and Guitar Tracks recording software (Win), a universal DAW control surface (Mac/Win, via Mackie control protocol). For more info about the V-Studio 20, visit Cakewalk.

Filed in categories: Musical Gear, News

Tagged: Guitar, Music, Netbook, Spotlight Gadgets

Write the Next #1 Song with Cakewalk’s V-Studio 20 originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 14, 2010 at 12:45 pm.

Ok.  Anyone who has read the Gadgeteer knows that I love laptop bags.  I have no idea why…some people collect stamps… I collect laptop bags.   I have two sizes of computers… my large Dell and my 10.2 inch Acer Aspire One Netbook.    I’m a writer so I lug my laptops around with me everywhere and when I mean everywhere….I’m serious…they go where I go.   When I am out and about and there’s a chance I’ll sit for a moment, I drag the netbook with me because it’s smaller, lighter and more portable.   Until now, I thought I had a decent netbook bag but honestly…it’s a little small for all the schtuff I carry.

Bag features side flaps that fold in and prevent things from slipping out like pens, pencils, etc. Very cool design. Slimmer over all than average laptop bags.

Be.ez has solved my dilemma with a fabulous netbook messenger bag that fits my 10.2 and will also accommodate a MacBook 13.3.   Measuring ten inches across and a little over 14 inches long, the “LE Vertigo 13 Lime Art” is a lot slimmer and much more compact than your average laptop bag made for full sized laptops.

It has the padded section for your smaller machine, sectioned compartments for Mp3 player, cell phone, pens, pencils and larger sections for power cords, notebooks, plus a zippered pocket for whatever.

For a slimmer laptop bag, this be.ex LeVertigo Lime Art carries plenty.

I like the unisex charcoal gray woven exterior which is water repellent and the cool chartreuse lining with the “e” in be.ez  stitched into the Velcro closure…nice touch.   And here’s an extra bonus for this bag, there is NO WAY any airline will deny you this bag on the flight.  It’s large enough to carry your MacBook 13.3 or your 10.2 Netbook along with  cords, boarding pass…whatever and will stow neatly under your seat.  It has an attached extendable webbed strap so you can hang the bag from your shoulder or across your body like a messenger bag.

I LOVE the construction of this bag.  It’s tough, very well made, well stitched and compact.  This bag will handle all the abuse I give (unintentionally) to my bags and it will last.  At $59.90, you will be able to find less expensive netbook bags, but  you will get what you pay for.  This bag is well worth the price.  I’ve seen bags for at least ninety dollars or more that are nowhere near as well made.

One complaint that I have about this bag is that there are no external pockets.  I love my external pockets for storing sunglasses, car keys, tissues, Chapstick… the small things I need that I don’t want to have to go digging in my bag for.  But otherwise, this is a fabulous bag, terrifically made, good price and built to last.

Filed in categories: Laptops and Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Laptop Bag, Macbook, Netbook

The be.ez Levertigo Notebook Bag Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 15, 2010 at 5:45 pm.

SLAPPA laptop cases from left to right: Ladies' 15.4 " Red Diamond, Men's 15.4" Black Diamond waterproof Crest and Ladies' 10" Black Damask

With everything that is out there on the market for laptop protection, you almost can’t beat SLAPPA laptop sleeves.   I’m a serious laptop bag/laptop sleeve person.  It’s not that I can’t get enough protection for my devices, I just dig sleeves and bags.  The protection from scratches, bumps, chips, dirt and spilled things doesn’t hurt either.  SLAPPA solves several of my problems:  the comfy-cushy sleeves protect my laptop from my clumsiness ; I bump and smack my machines terribly.  Not out of abuse but because I travel from room to room with my trusty machines in tow and I’m an inveterate klutz.  SLAPPA cases also provide a “travel light” aspect.  Unless you carry everything around with you in a laptop bag and believe me… I’ve tried, the SLAPPA cases are sleek and provide a nice pocket on the side for power cords, documents, folders, and whatever else you need to get up and go with your lap top.   Handy elastic corners keep your machine and sleeve in place and when you’re done, you zip up and go.

SLAPPA fills several needs for several computer users.  I have two machines in two sizes and I have SLAPPA cases that fit both of those machines.   SLAPPA cases fit 15.4” and 10” laptops.  If you’re a guy, a girl or a chic fashionista out to make a statement, SLAPPA is right there with you.   I have a black “Lady Damask” 10” sleeve for my Acer.

Ladies' Black Damask patterned 10" laptop sleeve for netbooks.

It’s a chic black case with a raised Gothic pattern and the SLAPPA logo button.  For the guys, the Rubber Sole 15.4”  case has the SLAPPA crest on the front and an ornate crest on the inside which I, as a woman, find cool as well.  It also features a water repellent dimpled rubber outer shell.  As a former Pacific Northwesterner and a coffee klutz, I like anything water repellent.

Inside Crest of the Men's waterproof Black Diamond 15.4" laptop sleeve.

This case is listed under the Men’s section on the SLAPPA website but honestly, it’s made for men but cool enough for women.

For the chic fashionista, you have the Diamond Pillow Red zippered case.  This laptop sleeve is sharp!  The red and black accented diamond motif is a raised pattern, cushy red interior, sturdy zipper and just shouts “chic”.

Ladies' Red Diamond patterned 15.4" laptop sleeve

What I like about these laptop sleeves is that they are well constructed with sturdy zippers, the prices ($22.49 ) are not outrageous and SLAPPA stands behind their product.    If I had to complain about anything, I’d like to see more girly colors (i.e. pale pink) and shoulder straps for the laptop cases.  SLAPPA does sell shoulder straps for their laptop bags however but sometimes, hauling around a full sized laptop gets heavy.  I wouldn’t mind a nice sturdy strap so I can sling it on my shoulder and keep my hands free.

Filed in categories: Laptops and Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Laptop, Netbook, Slappa

SLAPPA Laptop Sleeves Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 4, 2010 at 11:59 am.

The Averatec N1200 is the latest and (touted as) thinnest netbook out there. It’s thin but it’s not the lightest.  At 2.2lbs, it matches the weight of Acer’s Aspire netbook.  But it is thin.  I measures at less than 1 inch thick and you can get up to six hours of battery life using the extended battery model.  Up to three hours with the standard battery.   This thin netbook boasts a 1.66 GHz Atom N450 processor, 1.3 megapixel webcam, 160 GB hard drive and standard 1GB DDR2 memory (which can be expanded to 2GB.  Colors are limited to silver or black. It is also retailing later this month at Best Buy and Tiger Direct for a reported $330.00.

[Via Engadget]

Filed in categories: Laptops and Gear, News

Tagged: Laptop, Netbook, Spotlight Gadgets

Averatec 10″ Netbook; How Thin is Thin? originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 3, 2010 at 12:51 pm.

The Mirus Schoolmate Convertible is a netbook with an 8.9″ LCD screen (1024 X 600 resolution) that can also be used as a tablet.  The Schoolmate Convertible has 1 GB of memory, a 60 GB PATA disk, 802.11 b/g/n wireless, an Intel Atom processor, and runs Windows XP.  It comes with speakers and built-in microphone and a 1.3 MP web camera.  It would be ideal for a student.  It comes with Evernote for note taking, MyScript Stylus for handwriting recognition, ArtRage 2 (a painting tool), Foxit Reader for PDFs, and FBReader (an ebook reader that supports ePub, chm, rtf, and html).  It’s currently available from Target.com for $479.99.

Filed in categories: Laptops and Gear, News, Wireless

Tagged: Netbook, Tablet

Mirus Schoolmate Convertible Netbook/Tablet originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 16, 2010 at 2:37 pm.

I get quite a few emails every week asking for advice on which laptop to purchase, what mobile phone to buy, help with picking a gear bag, etc. Unfortunately, I don’t always have time to offer advice or I don’t have enough knowledge on the subject to answer the question in the first place. As a result, I’m going to start a semi-regular feature where I will post a few of these emails and ask for your help in answering them. You’ll be helping me and your fellow readers. This week’s questions involve netbooks and HP tablets. Ready?

Ron D. asks about the HP Touch Smart TM2T Tablet:

Hi Julie,

I am considering the purchase of the new HP Touch Smart tm2t tablet computer. However, I’ve read mixed reviews of their previous tablet and although full reviews haven’t appeared yet on the tm2t, initial reactions have been mixed and “cautious”. I wanted to ask about your impression of the HP tablets in general and if you would recommend HP tablets from your perspective. I am most concerned that they are reliable.

Pastor Vincent S. asks about netbook alternatives:

I love the size of the netbooks, but are too underpowered. Do you have any recommendations based on the following?

Dual core processor for multi-tasking
4 battery life +
Preferably a 10″ screen?
Resolution of 1280×800 or higher.
Video: 720p HD capable, Nvidia ION etc.
HDMI out, with audio
Less than 4 lbs or less
Good speakers
remote built in
Touch Screen
Less than a $1000

There you go, two questions from your peers. Can you help give them some advice? Leave your comments below.

Filed in categories: Articles

Tagged: Netbook, Reader Questions, Tablet

Reader Questions – Netbooks and HP Tablets originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 30, 2010 at 5:18 pm.

Netbooks have become extremely popular due to their affordable price and small size which makes them wonderful travel companions. But can a netbook make a great learning tool for kids? If it is the Intel-Powered Convertible classmate PC it can. The classmate PC isn’t just a regular netbook. It’s also a touch screen tablet computer. Let’s take a look.

The classmate PC is an educational tool that has been designed for school aged children ages 6 and up. It is being marketed to schools more than individual consumers. That’s not to say that you can’t purchase one if you want one. They are available through retail outlets such as Amazon.com

Hardware Specifications

CPU: Intel® ATOM™ processor N270 1.6GHz Processor
Chipset: Intel® 945GSE
Form Factor: Clamshell / Tablet
Memory: 1GB / 512MB
Storage: 16GB / 8GB / 4GB Flash or 1.8″ HDD
Operating System: Windows XP / Linux
Display: 8.9″ 1024 x 600 Touch Screen
Network: 10/100M Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n WLAN, Mesh support (Linux only)
Security: WPA, WPA-PSK, WPA2, WPA2-PSK
Audio: Integrated 2 channel audio
Camera: 1.3 MP
I/O: 2 x USB 2.0 ports, 1 SD slot, VGA port
Battery: 4 or 6 cell batteries are available
Dimensions: with handle 241 x 215 x (26.0 ~ 39.3) mm
Weight: 1.25-1.45 Kg

What’s in the box

Intel-powered convertible classmate PC
AC power cord and power adapter
Battery
Quick Start Guide
Stylus

As you can see from the image above, the classmate PC is similar in size to the HP mini 1000 netbook.

The classmate PC is thicker with a wedge shape though.

You might be wondering about the Mickey Mouse graphic on the lid. It’s a SkinIt skin. Skinit will be working with schools to create skins with team emblems.

The lid of the classmate has a built-in webcam that rotates 180 degrees so that it can be used in desktop mode or tablet mode.

The outside of the lid also has a small LED status panel that shows battery charging, power and WiFi status.

The back of the computer has the battery slot. There is a 4 cell and 6 cell battery available. The one installed here is the 4 cell (4400mAh), which can run for about 4hrs. The 6 cell is supposed to provide 6hrs of power.

You’ll also notice the built-in handle. It’s a flexible rubber handle that makes it very easy to for kids (and adults) to tote this computer around from place to place. It’s also important to note that the classmate is pretty rugged and has been built to withstand a 3 foot drop.

On the right site, you’ll find the stylus, microphone and head phone jacks, a tether attachment point for the stylus, as well as a USB and Ethernet port.

The stylus slot. The stylus itself isn’t special. You could use any PDA stylus on the screen, as well as your finger.

On the left side there is a VGA out connector, a 2nd USB port, an SD flash card reader slot and the power slider switch.

Lifting the lid reveals the 8.9 inch touch screen display. Below the display are the stereo speakers.

The keyboard like many netbooks is very compact. It’s also water resistant – a good feature to have for kids. No worries if they dump the contents of a juice box on it.

I didn’t find it to be as comfortable to touch type on as the HP mini 1000. You can click on the image above for a larger view. You’ll also notice the special function icons are printed in dark blue on the keys which I find really hard to see. My main problem with the keyboard has been the placement of the right shift key. I seem to always press the up arrow instead.

The track pad is adequate and works well enough. However, I wasn’t able to scroll pages using it.

The screen can lay completely flat as you see here.  It then rotates counterclockwise to…

…convert into a tablet.

The classmate PC has a built-in accelerator that auto rotates the screen to match the orientation in which you are holding it. Even to portrait mode.

On the left side of the display is an status bar that shows battery, wireless, power, hard disk access and caps lock status. The Blue home button launches the finger friendly application launcher.

The classmate PC has Windows XP installed but also includes several third party apps that take advantage of the table / touch screen features.

Some of the apps include Artrage, Foxit Reader and Evernote.

Artrage is one of my favorites. It is a really cool art program that almost feels like you’re using crayons, paint brushes and pallet knives.

Entering text can be entered using a touch keyboard or the handwriting input field. Both work best with the included stylus. The handwriting recognition is actually really good (even though my example image doesn’t reflect that) and works with printed letters or cursive. The input field can be resized to allow for writing more text at one time.

As a netbook, the classmate PC is on par with most of the other netbooks currently on the market, but what sets it apart is that it can be converted into a tablet. I haven’t had a lot of experience with tablet computers. This one is probably the first one that I’ve actually spent a decent amount of time actually using. For me, I’m much faster at entering text with a keyboard, so I’m not completely sold on entering text with a stylus. That said, I can see how this type of computer would be useful in school. I can envision kids using them to take tests where they select multiple choice answers with their styli. Or where they carry the classmate as a tablet when they are doing science experiments, etc. I even found myself using the classmate PC in tablet mode to surf the web while watching TV in my living room.

Now that portable computers such as netbooks are considerably less expensive than they ever have been, I can imagine devices such as the Intel-Powered Convertible classmate PC taking the place of text books in grade schools. I would have loved something like this back when I was in school!

What do you think? Would you choose the classmate PC over a regular netbook?

Filed in categories: Handheld PCs / Ultra Portables, Reviews

Tagged: Netbook, Tablet

Intel-Powered Convertible classmate PC Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 28, 2009 at 3:17 pm.

Timbuk2′s new Freestyle Messenger bag is a scaled down version of their laptop messenger bag that I’ve been carrying for over a year now. It looks like a perfect gear bag for your netbook, Kindle, nook or Sony Touch eBook reader. I really like Timbuk2′s bags and the price seems reasonable at $65.

Filed in categories: Gear, News

Tagged: gear bag, Netbook, Spotlight Gadgets

A Messenger Bag for Your Netbook – Timbuk2 Freestyle Messenger originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 17, 2009 at 7:59 am.

If you are looking for a way to mount your netbook to surfaces in your home or car, Aileron Designs has introduced an extensive line of hard shell, netbook computer cases and mounting systems. The Minimount case for netbooks is an all-aluminum hard shell enclosure with a quick connect mounting feature. The cases are available for several different netbooks including Acer Aspire One, Dell Mini and HP Mini for less than $100. Mounting kits cost extra.

Filed in categories: Laptops and Gear, News

Tagged: Mount, Netbook, Spotlight Gadgets

Mount your netbook with a MiniMount originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 5, 2009 at 12:45 pm.

We’ve seen hard cases for Macbooks for years, but now that netbooks have exploded in popularity, it’s their turn. Hard Candy Cases are easy to snap on polycarbonate shells that protect your netbook from every day bumps and scratches. That have a unique bubble texture and are available in several colors for ACER, ASUS and HP netbooks, as well as the Apple Macbook. Prices range from $34.95 – $49.95.

Filed in categories: Laptops and Gear, News

Tagged: Case, Netbook, Spotlight Gadgets

Candy Coat Your Netbook With Hard Candy Cases originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 24, 2009 at 8:54 am.

Skooba’s new Netbook Neo Sleeve is a form-fitting, padded neoprene zippered case that protects your 10 inch netbook from everyday abuse such as bumps and scratches. You can carry the Neo by itself with the included shoulder strap or inside another larger gear bag. There’s even a zipper compartment on the front that provides space for accessories such as a power adapter. The Skooba Netbook Neo Sleeve is available in the 4 colors: Abyss Black, Blizzard White, Deep Ocean Blue and Inferno Red, each with a contrasting charcoal front pocket. You can grab one now for the very wallet friendly price of $19.95.

Filed in categories: Laptops and Gear, News

Tagged: Netbook, Sleeve, Spotlight Gadgets

Skooba Netbook Neo Sleeve originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 23, 2009 at 4:26 pm.

There’s a new ‘WebBook’ on the market called Litl, and it’s a top-to-bottom operation that’s designing the whole widget with the philosophy of “The computer works for you ( not the other way around )”. Litl has designed both the hardware and the software with the web experience as the priority, and they call the resulting 3lbs beauty ‘Litl’. Besides it’s new OS, the high-end 12.1 LCD panel with a 178 degree viewing angle really sounds nice. Accompanying the awesome display is an Atom processor, 1GB of ram, 2GB of CompactFlash storage, and from the 720p video acceleration I’m guessing they’re using Nvidia’s ION platform. The OS appears to be a web-centric design with a ‘Card’ based homescreen that looks a Litl ( sorry ) like Safari’s ‘Top Sites’. Read on…

The hardware has some really useful features like HDMI output, an ‘easel’ display mode that swings the keyboard out of the way, and a ‘wheel’ control on both the unit and the remote to scroll through items. Plus, since most of your data is stored in the ‘Litl’ cloud, it looks like they can quickly swap units if your Litl breaks or gets stolen; Litl can even track down the thief using the stolen device. I think the keyboard looks silly, and it’s layout is going to take getting used to, but overall I like design. The Litl is a bit more expensive than a high-end netbook at $699, but the excellent design and unique feature-set seem worth it. Whats more, this company really stands behind their product with an unconditional 2 year guarantee; If you’re not satisfied, they’ll replace it or refund it.

http://www.litl.com/

Filed in categories: Handheld PCs / Ultra Portables, Home Tech, Wireless

Tagged: Internet Appliance, Netbook

Introducing The Litl WebBook originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 19, 2009 at 6:40 am.

People who have an interest in reading ebooks but who want a multi-functional device may be interested in the enTourage eDGe device.  The eDGe closes like a book, and it has a 9.7” (measured diagonally) e-Ink screen on the left and a 10.1” (diagonal) 1024 X 600 pixel color touchscreen on the left.

The eDGe ebook reader side allows you to read PDF and ePub files.  It is not associated with any bookstore, however.  You can take notes in the books using highlighting, dog-earing pages, or by handwriting directly in the books. 

The netbook side has WiFi, Bluetooth, and optional 3G connectivity.  Its operating system is Linux with Google Android.  You can surf and email and run applications, like the included journaling program.  It comes complete with a voice recorder and a web camera.  It has 3 GB of user-accessible internal memory, and you can add an SD card for more.

The eDGe is 8.25 X 10.75 X 1.0 inches when closed.  It weighs 2.5 pounds.  It is will ship in February 2010, but it is available for pre-order now at the enTourage website.  It costs $490.00 in midnight blue.  It is also available in ruby red, glacier white, and ice blue for $530.00.   Learn more at the enTourage website.

Filed in categories: Android related, eBook Readers and Gear, News

Tagged: eBook reader, Netbook, Spotlight Gadgets

enTourage eDGe DualBook Reader / Netbook originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 26, 2009 at 7:34 am.

Timbuk2 has a new gear bag made specifically for 10 inch Netbooks like the MSI Wind, Acer Aspire One and HP Mini 1000. The bag easily converts from shoulder to backpack style depending on how you like wear it. It has a molded foam exterior that provides protection for the netbook and a zippered pocket on the front that can hold an AC adapter and other small items. The price is pretty nice at $30.

Filed in categories: Laptops and Gear

Tagged: gear bag, Netbook, Spotlight Gadgets

Gear bag for your netbook – Timbuk2 T-Pack originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 23, 2009 at 8:20 am.

With the approach of mid August so approaches the Back To School Season.  You know what I mean; whole sections of WalMart, Target, and warehouse stores dedicated to pencils, pens, rulers, white glue and notebooks and folders featuring Hannah Montana and High School Musical all over them. It’s retail’s dedication to sending you or your children back to the Halls of Academe.  But today’s student requires much more than a backpack emblazoned with Zac Efron’s face.  Today’s student is wired to go.

Enter the Acer One Aspire Netbook.  Laptops are cool.  They’re portable, easy to use and handy for homework, surfing, listening to music and these days, catching up on the last episode of Survivor.  But they’re heavy.  My Dell Inspiron 1521 weighs 6 lbs just by itself.  Forget everything else I carry with it.  And I’m not a high school student, so I’m not carrying around textbooks, binders and other school stuff.  The Acer Aspire One, weighing in at a mere 2.2 lbs lightens the load.  At less than ten inches across, (lid closed), it fits anywhere a 15 inch laptop (lid closed) does not.   Whether you are in class as a student, a mom waiting in a doctor’s office, a writer hanging out at a coffee house, size DOES matter and the Acer Aspire One simply has full sized laptops beat pound for pound, inch for inch.  It’s portable, light, and boasts plenty of features to make it as sufficiently attractive as its larger brethren.

Regarding connectivity, you get three USB ports, an SD card reader which I really like, an Ethernet port and VGA-out as well as headphone and microphone ports.

Acer Aspire One Ports

It comes with a memory card port, Kensington lock port and boasts 160 GB internal hard drive.   No, there is no CD/DVD player and quite frankly, I’m fine with that.  I’m one of those writers I’m talking about.   When the inspiration to write hits me, I don’t need to pop in a CD of classical music; that’s what I have a Zune for.  Writers are tired of writing down ideas on napkins and airsickness bags simply because they didn’t want to lug around their six pound laptop to Starbucks.  And most high school students already have iPods or iPhones filled with their fave tunes.  Added to that, with sites like Zune and iTunes plus sites like Hulu, needing a CD/DVD player installed into one’s laptop is slowly becoming a moot point.  I honestly do not see this as a deal breaker for this computer.

The Acer Aspire One does not come without its own set of cons however.  The screen is viewable but small.  If you’re a high school student, you probably have eyesight that can handle it.  If you’re me at 43, you’re using your reading glasses.  (But I’m using those to read grocery store labels anyway.)   The keyboard is also on the small side but what I have a hard time with is the trackpad and the right and left click.  The right click is on the right side of the trackpad and vice versa and honestly, I’m so used to my larger right and left click keys located directly under my Dell’s trackpad, that I find it frustrating to use the Aspire One’s trackpad.

Aspire One track pad. Very small right and left click. Track pad severely limits scrolling movement.

To solve that issue, I purchased a small laser mouse and I’m fine with that.  The computer itself feels solidly made, however having said that, the hinges give me a cause for concern.  My Dell’s lid can be opened up and back flat.  The Aspire One’s lid can open to about 145 degrees before I’m scared of breaking the hinges.

The hinge can only allow the screen to be opened to about 145 degrees. Be careful.

Regardless of who carts it about, get a sleeve for it and/or carry it about in a padded bag.  I’m at an age where I am over my “designer handbag” fetish, so the Targus netbook messenger bag doubles as a purse and laptop bag.

I can carry my netbook, power cords, mouse, checkbook, pens, lipstick, keys and handcream. Large wallets won't work so I use a small coin purse with slots for ID. Works perfectly.

Let’s talk boot-up times.  If you have Acquired ADD, (you know… the condition one develops when they can’t go five seconds without fiddling with some electronic device) the bootup time is going to feel hellishly long.   If you’re booting up and getting your latte settled, it’s probably no great shakes.  Also, if you’re looking for a Blast You Across The Room processor, you’ve come to the wrong laptop. Again, think about what you want your laptop to do for you.  Battery life is do-able.  I get about 2 1/2 hours out of my Aspire One as long as I don’t use the brightest screen setting.  Again, for students, writers, et all, this is a fantastic, lightweight way to get the job done.   The 3G feature is fabulous.  I love it.  At the risk of sounding extremely spoiled however, I must say that, for me, it runs about dial up speed and I get impatient because I’m used to high speed.  That’s not 3G or Acer One’s fault.  I do not live in an area where I can get true 3G.  I live in a rural farming community and am lucky to get high speed internet at all. My Dell is on our home network and runs much faster.  In metropolitan areas, however, my Aspire One runs like a little jet.

This laptop has its uses and they’re all good.  For high techie types like my husband, this laptop’s limitations would sincerely frustrate him to insanity.  But this wasn’t made for high techie (Read; uber nerd) types.  This is a perfect laptop computer for your high school/college student.  It’s perfect for an aspiring writer or journalist.  It’s perfect for mom.  It’s perfect for smaller kids to learn on at home.   It’s portable.  It’s lightweight and you can get the internet on it wherever you can get a cell phone signal.  These are all good positives.

This laptop is also very moderately priced at $300.00 – $ 350.00.  I paid $80.00 for mine at a participating Radio Shack because I agreed to indentured servitude for two years which is otherwise known as a 3G (AT&T) service contract.  You can go either way but I knew that I wanted the ability to get internet anywhere so I was going to spend the money anyway.  The price you will ultimately pay for this laptop depends upon how well you do your shopping homework.  Wireless providers are offering competing deals for netbooks at fabulous prices but again, you are theirs for a period of two years, if you know going in that you want internet capability on your netbook. It’s worth thinking about in terms of size and portability if you want to get one of these netbooks for yourself or for your student.  And yes, ladies…it comes in pink.

Acer Aspire One in Pearl Pink with Zune. Zune sold separately.

Filed in categories: Handheld PCs / Ultra Portables

Tagged: Netbook

Acer Aspire One Netbook Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 16, 2009 at 2:00 pm.

Like a lot of people, if I have room for it while working on my laptop, I’d rather use a mouse than the trackpad. Most mobile mice seem to be created approximately equal, but recently Microsoft introduced something new to the field with their BlueTrack technology which claims to work more smoothly on more surfaces than the typical red or infrared laser systems of other mice. Microsoft is using BlueTrack in various products, but it seems to be an especially appropriate fit for a mobile mouse such as the Microsoft Wireless Mobile Mouse 6000.

Overview

The Microsoft Wireless Mobile Mouse 6000 is a compact mouse with a tiny USB receiver, intended for use with laptops and netbooks. It has five buttons: the usual three on top and one on each side. The wheel is smooth instead of having the “clicks” that many other mice have; I personally like this a lot since I have gotten used to a smooth wheel from using a Logitech MX at home, although I wish it had the same momentum as the Logitech style wheel. The wheel also tilts, as is common in most newer mice.

Like most mobile mice, this one has a USB receiver. It is a “nano” receiver, meaning that it is barely bigger than the USB plug itself, sticking out only about 1/4 inch from the port so that you can leave it plugged in while your laptop is stowed in a case. If you don’t want to do that, the receiver also stores neatly in a compartment on the bottom of the mouse.

Although the top of the mouse is smooth, the sides have a more “grippy” surface as well as an inward curve toward the front, making it easy to hold with your thumb and fingers. It’s very light, and fairly fast – not quite as sensitive and twitchy as I like a desktop mouse to be, but perfect for laptop-sized displays.

Included in the package with the mouse are an AA battery (the mouse uses just the one, and it is supposed to last up to 10 months) and Microsoft’s Intellipoint drivers which allow for advanced button assignments on Windows and the Mac. As with most mice the software isn’t actually required to work with any modern operating system; although I didn’t install the Intellipoint driver on my Mac, I could assign the extra buttons to Expose’ and Spaces functions through the system preferences as usual.

BlueTrack

The most interesting thing about this mouse is its BlueTrack optical system, which is claimed to work on nearly any surface except for clear glass or mirrors. In order to test this, I tried the mouse on nearly every semi-flat surface I could find in the house, and was pleased to find out that Microsoft isn’t kidding about how well BlueTrack works. Here’s a sampling:

• Papers and books
• Several kinds of wood (tabletops, 2×4, particle board)
• A marble countertop
• Vinyl flooring
• Carpet
• Furniture upholstery
• Bed sheets
• Leather
• Clothing
• Shower tile (dry)
• My own skin (use your other hand as a mouse pad…)
• The black, polished back of my guitar
• The trunk lid of my car

Even semi-reflective surfaces like my car and guitar were not a problem, so I feel safe in saying that this mouse will probably work on any surface you’re likely to find next to your laptop or netbook, including your own body if necessary.

Conclusion

All in all, I like this mouse, and its tiny receiver is now installed semi-permanently in my HP Mini. It’s light and sensitive, and the smooth wheel and extra buttons are very nice. I admit that I don’t really need the ability for it to track on almost any surface, but it’s nice to know that I could use it that way if I had to. I can only think of two ways in which I would improve it: adding momentum to the wheel like the Logitech MX/VX mice have, and supplying a protective pouch. Overall, Microsoft continues their tradition of making good peripherals with this one.

Filed in categories: Laptops and Gear

Tagged: Laptop, Microsoft, Mouse, Netbook, USB

Microsoft Wireless Mobile Mouse 6000 Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 9, 2009 at 9:30 pm.

Samsill Corporation has announced the launch of Altego™, a new corporate brand. The Clear Laptop Sleeve represents Samsill’s first product launch under this brand. They are available in 5 sizes and have a transparent front panel to allow you to see the outside design of your laptop or netbook. They are also water resistant and airport checkpoint friendly. The Altego sleeves are currently being sold exclusively though Dell .

Filed in categories: Laptops and Gear

Tagged: Laptop Sleeve, Netbook, Spotlight Gadgets

See thru protection for your netbook or laptop originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 6, 2009 at 12:28 pm.

I have now carried the HP Mini 1000xp with me daily for three months. This is a short article on the lessons I have learned about the Mini, netbooks, and me.

Lesson: The Mini is tough! I’ve dropped the poor thing several times, once badly enough for the screen cover to pop open and some panels in the back to pop off, and I have worn a spot on the space bar- other than that, it looks new with a little polishing. Remember- I carry it with me almost everywhere and it shows little sign of it.

Lesson: It is not perfect. The fairly low screen resolution tends to bug me a little when I am doing text stuff, like writing this article. It is not bad, just not as crisp as I would like. There is also an occasional lag in streaming videos from the Internet, etc. Just enough to encourage me to use a different computer when doing a lot of that. Also, the proprietary video connection, memory slot (they have a name for it, but who cares), and power jack size irritate me sometimes- especially the power jack thing- I cannot seem to find a 3rd party ‘universal’ cord that works for it.

Lesson: Netbooks are socially-friendly devices. Do you see my spouse in the following picture?

Family room with Fujitsu Lifebook, 12"

That is the top of her head, and about all I see of her when I am working with my ‘small’ 12″ Lifebook. Same shot, using the Mini:

Family room with the 10" Mini 100xp

Not only can you see a good chunk of her, you can see that she is on her own laptop (a gigantic 15″er- when it is on the table, she can’t see me either!) I have noticed this over and over- using the Mini, I am better connected with things and people around me. It does not block faces at meetings, it does not chew up table space in hot spot coffee shops, and I can even watch TV while on-line- truly this is a wondrous thing!

At the same time- I have noticed that other laptops create ‘don’t bug me’ zones around the user. There is a lot less interaction, the user’s attention is more focused on the screen, and people are conditioned to leave users alone. The Mini does not do this as much. Not only do people ask about it, but it does not seem to send out the ‘invisible force field wave’ as much as a ‘real’ laptop does.

I am sure that the eeePC and other netbooks do this as well- netbooks are just plain more socially-friendly machines! I think anyone that works with people should take this into account.

Lesson: Who needs a CD drive? Certainly not me. I bought one for the netbook- and have only used it a few times- most notably for installing Microsoft Office, and when I decided to restart everything. Other than that- downloads and flashdrives, baby! I have noticed that I rarely even use the drive on my Lifebook or desktop either.  (Attention inventors: how is this for an idea- a small DVD/CD player that also has a USB cord and can act as a CD-ROM/DVD-ROM drive? If I had one of these, I’d be a happy camper!)

Lesson: Open source is great! But… I tried, man, I really tried! Ubuntu, OpenOffice, FoxIt… but Ubuntu and Linux are not very Palm friendly, and I NEED my Palm. (Anyone have any good solutions for this, let me know- I would love to try them out!) OpenOffice is wonderful, but I need 100% Word compatibility for my huge library of articles and work activities. I just got tired of the small, on-going differences. Besides, I already own Office, may as well use it. On the other hand, I am loving Google’s Chrome on it- good use of screen space! (Gmail is also winning me over- already deleted the Mozilla programs on the Mini in favor of it.)

Lesson: The netbook has changed my life! Not radically, but it makes it so much easier to carry one smallish bag and be e-ready. I almost never use my MP3 player anymore because this thing is so convenient, and I can do music for jogging (if I ever start) on my Palm. I have not read any paper-based media in a while, and if I do, I often scan it into the Mini for later perusal. (Gotta love the new wireless printers/scanners, eh?) I tend to toss it in the car when we go

Would I buy one with my own money? Yes. Absolutely yes. As I said before, I was looking to replace my aging Lifebook when Julie surprised us (thanks again, Julie!!!) I was toying with the idea of a netbook, but now I clearly see that this is what I was looking for when I got my Lifebook. Something small but powerful enough for my non-gamer, non-graphics heavy needs.

What would I change?

• I would have gotten a better case from the get-go. My cheapy DVD travel case is already coming apart at the seams.
• I would have gotten a wifi sniffer and a USB light earlier- these have been wonderful!
• I’m popping in Windows 7 as soon as I can afford it… unless I can get Ubuntu to play with the Palm well- then I am riding Linux all the way!
• As far as which model- my biggest complaint with the Mini is the proprietary power plug- I cannot find a 3rd party plug, battery unit, etc. that fits it, which really bugs me.

Filed in categories: Handheld PCs / Ultra Portables, Laptops and Gear

Tagged: HP, Mini 1000, Netbook

3 Months with the HP Mini 1000xp originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 25, 2009 at 1:00 am.

I was excited when Julie told her main article contributors that she was sending us HP Mini 1000 netbooks in December, but for an entirely different reason.

See, I’d already purchased an Acer Aspire One only a few months earlier, and I was quite interested in seeing how the HP Mini stood up against the stiff competition of the netbook I’d grown to love so much. And when I say “love”, I really mean “love”. My AAO has a 160GB hard drive, 1.5GB RAM (I went ahead and upgraded), a long-lasting six-cell battery, and all the standard fare for a netbook – 8.9″ 1024×600 display, 0.3MP webcam, USB 2.0 ports, integrated SD/MemoryStick reader, and the requisite 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor.

One has to wonder – with all the netbook offerings on the market, are they really that different? The technical specifications are very similar across the board. Every netbook available (in the United States, at least) packs the 1.6GHz Atom. Microsoft has put the kibosh on allowing more than 2GB RAM in any netbook running Windows XP, so you’re likely to get 512MB or 1GB preinstalled. Although more 10″ displays are finding their way onto the market, the resolution is the same on every brand, make, and model – 1024×600, and the graphics are always an Intel integrated mobile chipset.

What sets apart one netbook from the others are subjective things, like the aesthetics of the case, the quality of the webcam, or the feel of the keyboard and trackpad. In these ways, I love, love, love my One. It’s got a sparkly blue exterior, a good webcam (for what it is, anyway), and a fabulous keyboard. I have little bitty hands, and the One’s keyboard is amazing – I can touch-type on it just as quickly as a full-size keyboard, at my normal speed of roughly 120-130WPM.

In fact, I love this little $400 laptop so much that I frequently find myself using it in lieu of the $2,000 Dell XPS M1330 I received through my employer. It’s lightweight, the battery lasts all day, and it does everything I need from a laptop except handle gaming or particularly heavy Photoshop work.

So did the HP Mini win me over? Could it convince me to switch from my beloved Aspire One to a different kind of netbook?

The short answer is no. The long answer takes, well…a longer explanation.

The Specs

There are some differences between the two laptops, to be sure. As previously stated, the technical specs are similar – the real differences are in the details:

Acer Aspire One

• 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor with Intel integrated graphics
• 1GB RAM stock (512MB onboard + 512MB SO-DIMM)
• 160GB 5400RPM SATA 2.5″ hard drive
• 1024×600 glossy 8.9″ LCD
• 0.3MP (300,000 pixel) webcam
• Integrated Atheros 802.11g wireless
• 6-cell battery
• Three USB 2.0 ports
• Two media slots (SD storage expansion and SD/MemoryStick media reader)
• VGA video output

HP Mini 1000

• 1.6 GHz Intel Atom processor with Intel integrated graphics
• 1GB RAM stock (1GB SO-DIMM)
• 60GB 4200RPM PATA 1.8″ hard drive
• 1024×600 glossy 10″ LCD
• 0.3 MP (300,000 pixel) webcam
• Integrated Atheros 802.11g wireless
• Integrated bluetooth 2.0 EDR+
• 3-cell battery
• Two USB 2.0 ports
• One media slot (SD/MemoryStick media reader)
• VGA video output

The Aspire One has the disadvantage of having 512MB soldered directly onto the motherboard, which means it can only be upgraded to 1.5GB total – adding a 2GB DIMM won’t do anything, since the chipset on the motherboard is only capable of supporting a 1GB DIMM.

The Mini 1000, on the other hand, has a much lower quality hard drive – not only is the speed slower (4200 RPM vs the One’s 5400RPM), but it’s PATA and 1.8″, whereas the One uses a standard laptop-size 2.5″ SATA drive, making future upgrades much easier.

Additionally, the Mini has bluetooth built in, while the One does not. There are plenty of sites online talking about modding the One to support bluetooth. In the meantime, I picked up a super compact USB bluetooth adapter for mine.

The One has one additional USB port and an option for a 6-cell battery, which I chose (I got my configuration on eBay, although at most retailers it is available with a 3-cell or a 6-cell). this adds to the bulk and the weight of the laptop, but it also means I can go for five or six hours without really needing to recharge it.

Both have the sub-par Atheros wireless card. Personally, I think this was a poor choice, although I’m guessing that card costs less per item than a Broadcom or Intel-based card. My One’s wireless card randomly quits working, forcing me to turn off the computer, unplug the charger, and remove the battery just to get wireless working again. My research online has indicated that this is a problem with the wireless card, so it’s an easy fix – since both machines use a standard MiniPCI-e form factor for the wireless, I can just replace the existing card with an Intel-based module purchased online.

On paper, the technical specs are fairly similar. The HP’s mediocre hard drive is offset by the larger display and inclusion of bluetooth, while the One’s extra bulk and smaller screen are offset by a bigger, better hard drive and much longer-lasting battery.

Exterior Impressions

This is one area where the HP can pull a little more weight. It has a larger keyboard, a far more attractive casing, and a larger trackpad with bigger buttons. While I like the blue casing on my Aspire One, the HP has a nice patterened lid, and the entire device looks sleeker and more symmetrical.

You can see a big difference comparing the HP to the Aspire One and the eeePC 900:

Here’s a close-up of the swirl design on the Mini 1000 (enhanced so you can see the pattern more clearly):

The larger 10″ LCD on the HP has good and bad – the glass on top of it covers the entire display area including the bezel, so getting cat hair and whatnot off it is a bit easier (dust and hair gets stuck in the corners of the LCDs on both my XPS and my Aspire One). The downside is that the display itself is noticeably lower quality than the hardware in the Aspire One. The backlight seems weaker, and the quality of the image is just subpar – blacks appear very washed out and almost gray. It’s harder to tell this when using the HP by itself, but when placed next to the Aspire One or my XPS, it definitely stands out.

There is a single switch to toggle bluetooth and wifi on the HP. I do prefer this hardware – the switch is sturdier and feels higher quality, and the HP uses sexy blue and white LEDs instead of the more boring, ho-hum orange and green ones on the Aspire One.

Usability

Between the two laptops, there were some surprising differences in general usability. I’m a very fast touch-typer and discovered that the extremely low-profile keys on the HP’s keyboard meant I frequently missed letters while typing. While I could probably fairly easily adapt to the shorter travel on the HP, I definitely prefer the Aspire One for typing.

My boyfriend, however, has big, manly hands, and he finds that the HP’s keyboard is much, much better – the keys are physically larger, and he found that adapting to it was much easier than using my Aspire One. He also prefers the larger display, even though the colors are more washed out.

I think the keyboard is probably the most important component of a netbook (along with the display), because you’re likely going to be typing on it plenty. You can see a comparison of the two keyboards here:

And here’s a handy visual comparison of the keyboards on the Mini 1000, the Aspire One, and the eeePC 900 (which has a much smaller keyboard) for your reference…

HP Mini 1000:

Acer Aspire One:

Asus eeePC 900:

The HP’s power switch is a little weird – it springs back, so you have to push it and hold it in place for a few seconds to get the machine to turn on. When the laptop is in standby, the power switch’s white LED slowly blinks. The Acer has a more standard power button above the keyboard, which illuminates with a green LED when on, and blinks orange when the machine is in hibernate or standby.

I didn’t find that I had problems using the Acer’s trackpad buttons. The HP’s trackpad buttons are a bit larger and easier to find with your thumb, and the HP includes a handy one-click button to disable the trackpad. All in all, I definitely prefered the HP’s trackpad over the one on my Aspire One. The One’s trackpad is also glossy, and the buttons are flush with the sides – too often I find myself trying to scroll on the right button instead of the right edge of the trackpad!

That being said, although both machines use the high quality Synaptics line for their trackpads, the Aspire One has the added bonus of supporting multitouch. Scrolling through long documents is accomplished through what Synaptics calls ChiralMotion – you start sliding down on the trackpad, and then move your finger in a circular motion to scroll. It’s much faster for long webpages and documents than the traditional scrolling method of coasting at the bottom right corner of the trackpad.

The Verdict

Both machines have certain advantages and disadvantages. If you want something that’s very sexy with an almost full size keyboard, I’d recommend the HP. However, the Aspire One is definitely has better technical specs for the price, and being the frugal-minded girl that I am, I’m glad I chose it over the HP when making my original purchase.

If you’re interested in buying a netbook, I highly recommend hitting your local shopping area to look at models on display. Your best bets for checking out the physical laptops are Best Buy, Sam’s Club, and Fry’s. The technical specifications are so similar across the entire netbook line that it comes down to subjective preferences on appearances, keyboard, port placement, and other fairly minor details. I love my Acer Aspire One, but my boyfriend Dan much prefers the HP Mini 1000 – it’s just a matter of what’s important to you.

At the end of the day, we both adore having netbooks. We tend to keep ours on our nightstands for late-night browsing and light gaming (these little guys are great for old-school DOS games!), and we’ll be taking them along when we go to Florida at the end of April. Even though Dan’s a heavy gamer, he’s already decided that his next laptop purchase will be a netbook – they’re just that great.

Filed in categories: Handheld PCs / Ultra Portables

Tagged: Acer, HP, Netbook

Netbook Face-Off: Acer Aspire One versus HP Mini 1000 originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 8, 2009 at 5:06 am.

I’ve wanted something like a netbook for a long time — and I’ve gone through a lot of PDAs, phones, and other portable devices without quite finding it — so when Julie decided to do a team review of the HP Mini 1000 I was excited to give it a try.

Within the growing market for netbooks, we’re seeing a renewed interest in Linux for the consumer. One of the main reasons for this is cost: when the whole computer costs $300, the price of a Windows license can be a significant percentage of the total. Another reason for the interest in Linux is its customizability, which allows it to have a small footprint on a device which only has 4GB or 8GB of SSD storage.

I’m interested in it for a slightly different reason: besides maintaining the Gadgeteer site and the server it runs on, I do software development in Python and Ruby, and have used Unix-ish systems for my work since the 80s. While I’d prefer a Mac OS X netbook (to match my Mac desktops and laptop), I’m a bit too lazy to hackintosh my Mini, so I’m going to use Linux until Apple gets around to entering the netbook market.

Linux on the HP Mini

HP sells a version of the Mini with its own consumer-focused “Mobile Internet Experience” version of Linux. That’s not what I’m going to talk about here, even though an installation image for it is available for download from HP. My main reason for passing up HP’s official Linux is that the installer completely wipes out the Mini’s hard drive, and I would rather maintain the flexibility of being able to dual-boot into Windows.

Instead, I chose the popular Ubuntu Linux distribution. Ubuntu has two things in particular that make it especially useful in this situation. First is the Wubi installer, which makes installing Ubuntu on a PC that is already running Windows quite pain-free by putting the entire Linux installation in a Windows folder, without making any other changes to the system. If you decide not to keep it, you can just delete its folder and it’s gone. Wubi also does its work without requiring a CD, which is quite useful if you don’t have an external CD drive to use with the Mini.

Wubi

The second reason I chose Ubuntu is the Ubuntu Netbook Remix, which is a set of customizations for Ubuntu to make it more netbook-ish. Although the netbook remix is available as an installation image, you can also add it to an existing Ubuntu installation, such as one created using Wubi. The technical details of how to do this are beyond the scope of this article, but you can find them here if you’re interested in trying it yourself.

So, here’s what it takes to install Linux on the Mini:

1. Download Wubi.
2. Download “http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download”>Ubuntu.
3. Make sure wubi.exe and
   ubuntu-8.10-desktop-i386.iso are in the same place (a
   USB stick, for example).
4. Run wubi.exe and wait for it to do its work.
5. Reboot, and choose your new Linux installation from the
   menu.

At this point, you’ll have a basic Ubuntu installation to play with. You don’t need to install any drivers or special packages to support the Mini; everything just works, including Bluetooth and WiFi. Ubuntu comes with just about everything you might need to get started, including an office suite, the Firefox web browser, music and video players, and so forth. It looks a little like this (note: this screenshot comes from a desktop computer, not the Mini):

Ubuntu Desktop

But, like the Windows XP the Mini came with, this version of Linux isn’t really optimized for a small screen. This is where the Netbook Remix comes in. After installing the packages (from the instructions here; please keep in mind I’m glossing over a rather technical task!) you must go into the Appearance preferences and turn off visual effects, as the Mini’s graphic processor isn’t quite powerful enough if you leave them on.

Ubuntu Appearance Preferences

With that, you get something more like this:

Ubuntu Netbook Remix Launcher

That’s the UNR launcher, and the reorganized status bar. The tabs down the left side are categories from Ubuntu’s system menus, and the ones down the right side are shortcuts to commonly used folders. In the upper right, you can see that Ubuntu recognizes the Mini’s wireless and Bluetooth interfaces with no additional drivers. The Ubuntu logo in the top left corner brings up this launcher at any time.

Firefox on Ubuntu Netbook Remix

Here’s Firefox. The Netbook Remix desktop automatically maximizes applications to use the whole screen, with no borders or title bars. When you only have 1024×600 pixels to use, this is usually the correct decision. I’ve got a couple of other applications running in the background; their icons appear at the top left, and whatever space is left in the task bar is used for the window title.

Vertical space is at a premium on the Mini (as on all netbook displays) so I’ve customized Firefox a bit, by turning off the bookmark bar, and using a nice extension called Personal Menu to get rid of the menu bar as well. Bookmarks, history, and the main menu now appear as icons to the right of the search box. Windows users, you can do this too, if you want to squeeze every last pixel out of your Mini’s display.

OpenOffice Writer on Ubuntu Netbook Remix

This is OpenOffice. Like Word, it’s definitely a candidate for having its toolbars turned off when you don’t need them. If there is one thing I hope the rise of netbooks does, it’s to instill in application developers a new appreciation for screen real estate.

Dialog Too Big For Display

Use a netbook long enough and you’ll come across something like this. Unfortunately, Linux isn’t immune to it, any more than Windows is. Evolution is Linux’s answer to Outlook, and it shows: where’s the bottom of that dialog? Who knows.

Ubuntu Netbook Remix Package Manager

One of the main differences between Linux and Windows is that with Linux, most of the applications you can run on it are available directly through a built-in package manager. There is too much here to describe, from the mundane to the extremely geeky.

Conclusions and Opinions

Is Linux on the HP Mini right for anyone other than me? Linux in general seems like a good fit for netbooks — it does everything a typical netbook user will probably need, it’s usually pretty efficient, and it can be customized by vendors in ways that Windows can’t be. (Look at HP’s “Mobile Internet Experience”, for example. Without being told that it’s Linux, you’d never know it.) As a long-time Unix developer, I’m perfectly at home with a terminal and a text editor alongside Firefox and Thunderbird, so it suits me just fine.

I should note that though installing Ubuntu with Wubi is very easy, installing the Netbook Remix packages on top of it might be a bit too daunting for new Linux users. On the other hand, installing the entire Netbook Remix at once is possible, but is also somewhat technical, and it requires partitioning the drive like a more traditional Linux installation. If you try Linux on the Mini, feel free to let us know how you fare in the comments; I’ll try to help as much as I can.

That said, the HP Mini is an excellent netbook for Linux, as far as I’m concerned. With Ubuntu, everything works out of the box, and the keyboard is more than adequate for a little bit of coding — it even has CTRL and ALT keys on the right side. The hard drive is a bit disappointing, as it is slow and not easily replaced due to its size, but 60GB is plenty for me as much of my work is on remote servers anyway. Although I might need a netbook with more storage in the future, for now I like the way the Mini feels.

Filed in categories: Handheld PCs / Ultra Portables

Tagged: HP, Linux, mini, Netbook

HP Mini 1000 Netbook – Running Linux originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 17, 2009 at 6:00 am.

When I was working on my review of the HP mini 1000 netbook, I remember testing the webcam and thinking how dark and grainy the picture was. Rob and I talked about it and after some research, he found some forums where people found a solution. That solution involved doing a bit of surgery though. Rob fixed his, but I didn’t bother since I don’t use a webcam very often. I forgot all about the problem until last week when Judie Lipsett posted a video of a product manager from HP fixing her own HP Vivienne Tam edition netbook.

The fix involves opening the seam between the case and the screen bezel. A small square of tinted plastic film stuck over the webcam window is then removed from the bezel side of the case.

In the video that Judie posted on Gear Diary, the person from HP mentions that she is going to remove the piece of film because it doesn’t belong there.

Again, I sort of forgot about the issue because I don’t use this feature of the netbook. But then I heard that HP asked Judie to remove the video from her site… and then the person from HP left a comment on Judie’s post saying that film is supposed to be there and not to remove it. Hmmmm, so that got me thinking that I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. So I decided to try the fix on my own Vivienne Tam netbook.

To start out, I want to show you 2 before pictures.

Click the thumbnail to see the full size image

This image was taken in my basement office with all lights on. My office has a LOT of lights. I have a 3 bulb compact flourescent lamp in ceiling in the center of the room and then compact flourescent can lights along the edges of walls on two walls. As you can see this image is a bit dim and grainy, but not too bad because I have a LOT of light in that room.

Click the thumbnail to see the full size image

Here’s a second picture, this time with only the side can lights turned on and no overhead lights. In case you’re wondering, my regular HP Mini 1000 (Black version) has the exact same issue).

Doing the fix was a little scary, so I can understand why HP doesn’t really want people doing this. There’s a good chance that you could scratch the screen, scratch the inside of the Black painted bezel, crack the bezel, etc…

Click the thumbnail to see the full size image

To slightly pop open the case (you don’t have to open it all the way… at least I didn’t), I took a guitar pick and wedged it in the seam and twisted it a bit to pop open the two plastic clips on other side of the webcam. Then, I was able to flex the bezel open far enough to get a pair tweezers in there to pull off the plastic film from other side of the webcam window.

Click the thumbnail to see the full size image

There’s the film that I removed. You can see that it’s tinted. Why HP ever decided to put that over the webcam lens is really puzzling…

Now for a picture after the I completed the fix.

Click the thumbnail to see the full size image

I took this picture in the same place as the other pix and this time it’s only with the side lights like the worse before picture. Wow, you can tell a big difference. And an even bigger difference is that the image isn’t as grainy. I’ll admit that it’s not the best webcam image that I’ve ever seen, but it’s not nearly as bad as it was with the wacko tinted film.

I’m not really sure how to end this post because I’m not sure what HP is going to do to fix this issue for HP Mini owners. Right now they are telling them to just find a brighter place to use their webcams. That’s a really lame solution in my opinion. So we’ll see what happens… If you’re a mini owner with this problem, let me know and if you’ve peformed surgery on yours, let me too know.

Filed in categories: Uncategorized

Tagged: Gear Diary, HP Mini, HPVT, Netbook

HP mini 1000 Netbook Webcam Issue originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 2, 2009 at 8:02 pm.

I have to be honest, when Julie communicated to her Gadgeteer Geek Gang that we would all be getting a new HP Mini 1000 XP Series Netbook, I was overcome with a feeling much like when I was a kid at Christmas.  You know, that happy/joyous feeling of anticipation that fills the youthful spirit until the climax of ripping through the paper on the very last gift. Fortunately, I have been using my HP Mini for a few weeks now and that warm and fuzzy feeling has yet to wear off.  I love it, almost completely.

I know that is too vague, so specifically:

I love the small, sleek and ultra-lightweight design.  At just under an inch thick and slightly more than two pounds, it is comparable in size to a standard hardcover book.  Very easy to carry in a bag, a medium/large purse or comfortably in your hand.  The 10.3 x 6.5 x 0.9 plastic shell, which differs from the aluminum case used in the previous model, seems fairly sturdy, passing my creak/pop test.  I am sure the switch from aluminum to plastic was done to reduce manufacturing cost and weight.

I love the stylish design.  The onyx-toned “Swirl” Imprint design is subtle but provides a certain alluring characteristic to the exterior.  The groovy pattern bestows depth to what would be a rather plain glossy exterior.  If you really want your Mini to make a less subtle  statement, check out the Mini 1000 Vivienne Tam Edition.

I love that the keyboard is nearly full-sized.  One of my primary concerns when I considered the size of the device was would I be able to easily type on the keyboard.  Well yes, I can easily utilize the Mini’s keyboard without hunting and pecking.  HP boasts the keyboard is “92% of the standard size”.  Nice to see the engineers did not compromise usability for the sake of size.  I think the keyboard, with its over-sized square keys stretching from edge-to-edge,  is the biggest selling point for the unit.

I love that the screen is appropriately size and bright.  My second biggest concern was the screen.  Would it be big enough for me to use without straining my eyes?  Would it be bright enough for me to see?  The upgraded 10.2″ diagonal screen is nicely sized proportionally with the overall unit and the HP LED Brightview Infinity Display (1024 x 600) puts out plenty of light.  I used the device for hours and never noticed any strain on my eyes.

I love the fact that HP did not fill the netbook with a lot of unnecessary pre-loaded software.  Netbooks were designed to be highly mobile and offer enough computing power to complete the elementary tasks, such as surfing the Web, working on documents and some fundamental multimedia playback.  HP ensures that the basic are covered with Microsoft Works, Windows Internet Explorer and Windows Media Player loaded on Windows XP Home edition.  I must admit that I am not a big Works fan but you can easily replace that with the basic Office tool set.

I love the battery life.  I was expecting to get 2 hours max  out of the 3 Cell Lithium Polymer Battery.  I was pleasantly surprised that from 5 duration tests, I average 2 hours and 44 minutes of life before the battery finally gave out.

I love the sound quality.  Again, I think more times then not we often expect small speakers system to lack anything near a decent sound.  Fortunately I found the HP Mini 1000 did not comply with that stereotype.  The unit delivers above average sound quality without experiencing any noticeable distortion.  The engineers ingeniously placed the speaker as the inside hinge, saving space and providing a perfect position for the tunes to flow.

I love the built-in SD card reader.  Great way to easily add some memory to your device.  For less than $30, you can easily add 4GB of storage with a SD card.  I filled a card with my favorite MP3′s and I had my music in my Mini without eating up hard drive space.

Just like any real relationship, we have our dislikes too:

I hate the idea behind the Mini Mobile Drive.  The Mobile Drive is HP’s proprietary hardware, like a small jump drive, that fits into the recessed USB port on the unit’s right side.  I love the concept of additional memory options but to make it a proprietary piece that you have to buy as an extra leaves a bad taste in my mouth.  At this time, the Mini Mobile Drives are not available so I am unsure of the cost.

I hate the glare from the overly glossy LCD screen.  I tried to use the unit outside once and the glare made it impossible to see anything.  This is opposite edge of the nice and crisp picture that I loved above.  If the manufacturer would have included a anti-glare screen, I assume the brightness would have been compromised.

I hate the audio out (headphone) and audio in (microphone) share a single audio jack.  I experienced no issue with the shared audio connector but I just think that it might have made more sense to leave the proprietary slot on the drawing board and give each audio option there own jack.

I hate the limited angle of the screen.  Occasionally I prefer to work while standing standing up at our kitchen island.  To do this comfortably, I normally will extend the screen open to an extreme angle, almost parallel to the counter top.  Unfortunately, the Mini will not permit me to open it very far.

I hate the Synaptics Touchpad.  I found using the touchpad with the buttons flanking each side difficult to maneuver for navigation.  Maybe this is more from my experience with my Dell’s mouse ball set in the keyboard but it definitely took me some time to become proficient.  The technique that I most often use is putting my thumbs on the bottom of the device and use my pointer fingers to direct the movement of the mouse.

I hate the built-in WebCam.  The concept of including peripherals that are built into the frame of the hardware is great.  Unfortunately, the picture quality captured from the camera is fair, at best.  Regardless of the lighting, I was unable to improve the quality.

Now that you understand the spectrum of emotions that I have felt using my HP Mini 1000, I hope that you can understand its impact on my domicile.  Normally, my family is uninterested in the gadgets that I review.  They are usually interested for the first 5-15 minutes of me opening the box, then their interests wanes like ice cream on a August day in Indiana.  Unfortunately this was not the case with the netbook.

My wife was instantly drawn in by the look and feel of the HP Mini.  The sleek, stylish and lightweight device instantly grabbed her attention and once I completed the initial set-up, including the establishing the wireless connection, I started to notice the Mini and my wife became very close friends.

It started with a simple “let me see that for a second”, and she would take it and check her Facebook account and be done with it in 15 minutes.  No harm, no foul.  Then slowly I started to witness a shift, she would take the Mini with her upstairs and sit in bed and surf the net.  After the girls went to bed, she would wrap herself in the warmth of a blanket with the Mini nestled in her lap.

Now it is to the point where I feel like I have been knocked down the ladder of love.  Our girls still command the most attention from her but I have been replaced by the Mini.  It is like the device is connected to her hip by some type of electrical umbilical cord.  I have to ask permission to use it so that I can get data to write an educated review and even then she acts as if it in a inconvenience.

I almost anticipated my wife’s obsession but my two little girls forced me to do a “say what” double-take.  They are less than six years old and the HP Mini 1000′s small size drew them to it like moths to a light.  They thought it was one of their toy laptop computers and to be honest it is actually smaller then their play laptops.  They both asked a few times if they “could play with daddy’s new toy”.

Interestingly side note, I was discussing this phenomenon with my mother-in-law, who happens to work for an Indiana school corporation, and she was telling me that they recently purchased HP Minis for their second grade student population.  When I was seven years old and in second grade I know that me and my peers did not have access to anything close to a computer or anything nearly as cool as these little babies.

In conclusion, just like any natural relationship my HP Mini 1000 and I have our ups and downs but in the end I definitely felt the love.  The small, stylish design and the nicely sized keyboard are the two biggest selling points of the netbook, while the glare from the super glossy screen and the touchpad are the major deterring factors.

Overall, I would definitely purchase a HP Mini 1000 if you are looking for a nice, small netbook that offers great options for the highly mobile user.  Even if mobile is define as moving in between rooms in your house.  My only reservation is that you might want to consider buying more than one or you will find yourself in a situation similar to mine where you have to fight your love ones for the opportunity to utilize this great little device.  Gotta go, my wife needs to spend some quality time with the Mini that I am using to write this review.

Filed in categories: Handheld PCs / Ultra Portables

Tagged: HP, Netbook

HP Mini 1000 Netbook – Love and Hate, Plus Its Affect On My Domestic Life originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 18, 2009 at 1:00 am.

Can a laptop create a fashion statement? It can when a famous New York designer like Vivienne Tam puts her artistic stamp on it. Case in point – The HP Mini 1000 Vivienne Tam Designer Edition Netbook. It has the same bits and pieces inside that the regular Black swirly Mini has in it, but this one is like a little Red sports car for geek girls. I’ve never considered myself fashion conscience, but I can’t help but like this netbook. I mean it’s Red, it’s shiny and it has flowers on it! What’s not to love?

Specifications

Operating system – Windows XP Home with Service Pack 3
Processor – Intel(R) Atom(TM) Processor N270 (1.60GHz)
Memory – 1GB DDR2 System Memory (1 Dimm)
Hard drive - 60GB 4200RPM PATA Hard Drive
Display – 10.1″ diagonal SD LED BrightView Infinity Widescreen Display (1024 x 576)
Graphics card – Intel(R) Graphics Media Accelerator 950
Personalization – HP Mini Webcam with HP Imprint Finish (Vivienne Tam)
Keyboard – HP Matching Keyboard
Networking – Wireless-G Card with Bluetooth
Primary battery – 3 Cell Lithium Polymer Battery
Dimensions – 10.3 in (L) x 6.56 in (W) x 0.99 in (H)
Weight – 2.45 lbs

Package Contents

HP mini 1000 Vivienne Tam Edition
Red silky sleeve
AC Adapter
CD with Windows XP and drivers
Polishing cloth

The deep Red shiny fingerprint attracting case has a vibrant design of peony blooms that signify good fortune and prosperity. The flowers are eight shades of Pink, Mauve, Lavender and Yellow.

The flower design is only printed on the top cover, but the rest of the mini is an energizing Red.

The Left side…

The Right side…

There’s even a place to attach a hand strap. Ummm, would you carry around a netbook like a camera or cellphone, dangling from your hand? Yeah, me neither. I guess you could use it to attach a sparkly little babble though

Open the cover and wow, there’s a matching Red keyboard and trackpad!

The keys are slick and shiny just like the rest of this netbook. I prefer the matte finish of the regular mini, but the Red is pretty nice looking. I do wish that the keys were backlit though.

Click the thumbnail to view full-size image

The keyboard on this netbook is fantastic. It has a great layout and is very comfortable to type on. I love it.

I’m already a fan of the HP mini 1000, so I don’t have any additional complaints against the Vivienne Tam edition. Of course I know that people will complain about the premium that you pay for a designer edition laptop like this one. It’s like designer clothes, you pay for the label. The same thing applies here. If you configure the regular Black mini 1000 the same way that you do the Vivienne Tam edition, the price difference is $245. For that price difference, you’re getting a Red case, Red keyboard and a Red silky slip cover. Is it worth it? That all depends… are you willing to spend an extra $245 to get it? Then yeah, it’s totally worth it to you So tell me, are you a gadgeteer girl that would pay extra for a laptop like this one?

Filed in categories: Handheld PCs / Ultra Portables

Tagged: Fashion, HPVT, Netbook

HP Mini 1000 Netbook – Vivienne Tam Designer Edition originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 13, 2009 at 5:00 am.